CUSTOMER SERVICE

EXCELLENCE
at AGU

Prof.Chris Abraham
 Why we should be
interested in customer
service at AGU
• AGU exists in a competitive environment.
The institution faces competition for
students and funding from other
international institutions, KV institutions,
and private colleges. AGU needs to
maintain credibility as a top-notch private
University to garner continued and new
support from students, prospective
students,parents,employers, alumni and
others .
 
CREATE YOUR CUSTOMER
SERVICE VISION

“ A VISION IS

WHERE YOU ARE GOING;

A PLAN IS HOW

YOU GET THERE.”

 VISION
• THREE VERY IMPORTANT
QUESTIONS:
– WHY ARE WE IN BUSINESS?

– WHAT DO WE WANT TO ACHIEVE?

– HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT?

 DEFINE FIVE THINGS WE
WOULD LIKE OUR CUSTOMERS
TO SAY ABOUT AGU.
Who are your
customers?
AGU Who are they? Take a
few moments and list all
Department
of your customers…
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___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
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________________Bas
ed on the service they
receive, what kinds of
decisions do they make?
 Your customers include:
Did you list all of these? There are even more!
Customers: Decide to:
• Students remain
• Prospective students attend
• Parents recommend
• Alumni contribute
• Employers hire graduates
• Research funding sources contribute
• Donors contribute
• Public support
• Coworkers/other AGU staff provide teamwork
 The customer…
… is not always right
… is always the customer

Take a few moments to think about

what this means to you…
 The customer…
… is not always right
… is always the customer

A student may not have filled out the right

form. A prospective student may have
missed a deadline. A parent may make an
unreasonable request. An alumna may act
impatiently.

They are still the reason we are here…

 Important: customer
loyalty
Each time we solve a customer’s problem, it helps
to build loyalty that results in…

– Referrals: Students, parents, and alumni tell

relatives, friends, and family that AGU is a
good place to study and work
– Additional business: happy graduate students
become PhD students/Research Assosiates
– Retention: Students stay at least one/two
year/s; employees build long, productive
careers
– Reputation: AGU maintains a reputation as a
top-notch institution of higher education
 When you are the
customer…
• Take a few moments to jot down some
thoughts about what is important to you
when you are the customer…

– What do you look for?

– What makes you go back?

– Think of a time you experienced exceptional

service. What happened that made the
experience so positive?
Four things customers want
• Your notes probably include these:
– Friendly, caring service – those serving you make
you feel as though you are special

– Flexibility – your feelings and circumstances are

taken into consideration

– Problem resolution – even if sometimes the

answer must be no; positive alternatives are
presented

– Recovery – mistakes are admitted, apologies are

forthcoming, extra efforts are made
 Two pieces of a puzzle
• There are two pieces to every customer
service encounter. Both are important:

– Business piece
• Policies, procedures, regulations, rules
• What your organization does to conduct its normal
business

– Human piece
• Smiles, eye contact, information, solutions, recovery
• How your organization handles each customer service
encounter
 Two pieces – an example
Undergraduate Admissions: A family shows
up for a campus tour

• The business piece includes checking the

registration, reserving space on the bus, handing
out a brochure, giving the actual tour, handing out
evaluations

• The human piece includes a cheery greeting, offer

of refreshments, a comfortable seating area. The
human piece may also include changing the
reservation if the family is larger than expected,
making special allowances for an unexpected
handicapped individual, etc.
Two pieces of a puzzle
Think about a typical service encounter in
your department. Jot down how these two
pieces might apply…

– Business piece
• ________________________________________
________________________________________
____________

– Human piece
• ________________________________________
________________________________________
____________
 People remember…
• Good service…
– for 18 months and tell 9-12 people

• Bad service…
– for 23 years and tell 20 people a year

• Therefore, it is vital that we at AGU do

everything we can to create good service
and impressions because bad impressions
tend to be much longer lasting.
 Moments of truth
A “moment of truth” is any instance in
which the customer comes in contact
with any aspect of your organization and
forms impressions about the quality of
service you provide.

There are thousands of these moments

of truth around AGU every day. They
include phone calls, in-person contacts,
letters, email, brochures/fliers, web
sites, advertising, etc. Each is
important.
 Moments of truth

Examples at AGU might include: a student visiting

Admissions for a campus tour, a parent calling
Housing to confirm an application; a potential
employer receiving an internship request from
Career Services, etc.

What are some moments of truth in your

department?
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
_________________________
 First impressions count…
• First impressions are made in 30 seconds

• Take some notes… The first time you

enter a new place, what do you notice
first?

– about the place

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_____________________________
– about the people
_____________________________
_____________________________
First impressions count…
– about the place… you may notice: cleanliness,
orderliness, spaciousness, lighting, sound,
pleasant or unpleasant odors, furnishings…

– about the people… you may notice: if they are

smiling, if they seem harried, how they are
dressed, if they seem to be working together
or apart from one another…

All of these put together make a strong first

(and sometimes lasting) impression
 How impressions are
formed
Interpersonal impressions are based on:
– Verbal messages (what is said) 7%
– Vocal messages (how it is said) 38%
– Nonverbal messages (face/gestures/space) 55%

First impressions
100%

You can see from this chart that your

“body language” can be powerful in
sending positive messages.
 “Body Language”
• Body language includes many non-verbal aspects.
Here are some of the most important:
– Face: includes your expressions, the tilt of your head,
and your smile (a very powerful tool)
– Figure: includes your posture, demeanor, dress, and
general appearance
– Focus: includes the length and directness of your eye
contact. Different cultures view direct eye contact in
different ways, so be sensitive
– Tone: includes the volume, pitch, and inflection in your
voice (your most powerful telephone tool)
– Territory: includes your physical comfort zone and
that of your customer. Again this differs by culture.
 Difficult customer
behavior
• We all have personal triggers. It’s important to
realize what a customer might do that could cause
us to “turn off” or not handle an encounter well.

• Behaviors many people find hard to deal with

include: yelling, profanity, finger pointing, name
calling, body odor, peculiar dress, name dropping,
etc.

• Think of a few behaviors you might find annoying or

difficult to handle; then, on the next slide, write
down how you would manage that behavior positively.
 Difficult customer
behavior
Our example…
– Behavior: A customer yells at me
– Response: I tell the person in a calm voice that her
raised voice upsets me and I will be able to help her more
effectively, if she doesn’t raise her voice.

Your examples…
Behavior: _____________________________________
Response: ____________________________________

Behavior: _____________________________________
Response: ____________________________________

Behavior: _____________________________________
Response: ____________________________________
The FISH philosophy
The employees of Pike’s Fish Market in
Seattle, Washington have developed a
“philosophy” that has made their store into
a world-class operation.

These employees work long, hard, and cold

days selling fish; but use the following four
ideas to put energy, commitment,
and fun into their work every day
for their own benefit and for that
of their many customers.
 The FISH philosophy
• Play – You spend more time at work than on any
other activity during the day. For productivity,
there needs to be some fun in the work day.
Experts say humor even boosts the immune system.
• Make their day – Go the extra step for the
customer. Be flexible, be positive, find solutions.
• Be there – Focus on each person as a special
individual. Give each of them your full attention.
• Choose your attitude – Make a conscious choice
to smile and enjoy your day; it’s contagious!
 Play…
• Let’s think about this further… how might
you add play to your work?
_________________________________
_________________________________
__________

• Examples might include birthday

wishes/cards, coworker compliments,
inspirational quotes, work-related cartoons,
special events luncheons, teamwork
competitions, etc.
 Make their day…
• Let’s think about this further… how might you make
a customer’s day?
______________________________________
______________________________________

• Examples might include solving his problem when he

didn’t think it would happen, “bending the rules”
where possible, making them laugh during the
service encounter, doing what’s needed to avoid
transfers from office to office, etc.
 Be there…

• Let’s think about this further… how might you be

there for a customer?
______________________________________
______________________________________

• Examples might include making good eye contact,

smiling, acknowledging someone when they first
come in the office door, avoiding other distractions
while dealing with an individual, keeping personal
feelings in check, etc.
 Choose your attitude…
• Let’s think about this further… how might you
choose your attitude, especially on a day you’re not
feeling that well?
______________________________________
______________________________________

• Examples might include smiling (it does actually

make you feel better), playing a favorite song,
making a list of ten things for which you are
thankful, prayer, remembering a recent happy
event, etc.
DEFINE FIVE THINGS WE
WOULD LIKE OUR STAFF
TO SAY ABOUT AGU.
DEFINE FIVE THINGS WE
WOULD LIKE OUR
COMPETITORS TO SAY
ABOUT AGU.
 HOW CAN WE
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
VISION OF AGU?
HOW DOES IT RELATE
TO OUR CUSTOMERS?
HOW DO WE MAKE IT
HAPPEN AT AGU?
 The service chain…
• Every employee at AGU is a link in the service
chain

• We either serve students directly or…

• We serve others who serve our students directly.

(Sometimes these people are departmental
coworkers, sometimes they work in other
departments.)

• Every link in the chain is vital; everyone’s individual

effort can make a big difference
 The service chain…
• Let’s look at an example…
– If you work at the Front Desk, you serve students directly on
the phone and in person at the counter

– If you work in Accounts, you serve the employees who work

directly with the students

– If you are a manager or supervisor, you support the staffs that

serve the students and/or support those who do so indirectly

Service Chain: Front Desk Rep. serves Accountant serves

Admn.Executive serves Student
DEFINE YOUR MOMENTS
OF TRUTH
GOOD SERVICE IS GIVING PEOPLE
A LITTLE MORE THAN THEY
EXPECT.

EXCELLENT SERVICE IS
ENJOYING GIVING PEOPLE A
LITTLE MORE THAN THEY EXPECT.
 THE SERVICE
EXPERIENCE AT AGU
• PEOPLE SKILLS

• PRODUCT/SERVICE

• PRESENTATION

• PROCESSES
 MANAGE THE
CUSTOMER’S EXPERIENCE
• ALL YOUR STAFF OR
REPRESENTATIVES HAVE
EXCELLENT PEOPLE SKILLS;

• YOU ARE SELLING OR OFFERING

SUPERB PRODUCTS;
 MANAGE THE
CUSTOMER’S EXPERIENCE
• YOUR PRESENTATION IS
IMPRESSIVE-OF THE PRODUCT OR
SERVICE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS;

• THE PROCESS WHICH DELIVER OR

SUPPORT THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE
ARE CUSTOMER CENTRED.
 EXCELLENT SERVICE
=

ENJOYING GIVING PEOPLE A

LITTLE MORE THAN THEY
EXPECT
THE BEST SERVICE COMPANIES
HAVE A PASSION FOR SERVICE
EXCELLENCE!
 PROVIDERS OF SERVICE
EXCELLENCE DO IT WITH
ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM!

EXCELLENT SERVICE IS
VERY MUCH A
WIN/WIN/WIN/WIN
EXPERIENCE
GIVE GOOD SERVICE
TO ONE ANOTHER
• ‘WE DON’T SUPPORT EACH OTHER AROUND
HERE’

• ‘PEOPLE DON’T SEEM TO COUNT IN THIS

COMPANY’

• ‘MY MANAGER SHOWS NO INTEREST IN

WHAT I DO’

• ‘THINGS AROUND HERE ARE VERY UNCLEAR’

 GIVE GOOD SERVICE TO
ONE ANOTHER
• ‘I’M NOT SURE THAT MY BOSS KNOWS WHAT
I’M GOOD AT’
• ‘THERE DOSEN’T SEEM TO BE ANY POINT IN
DOING MORE THAN THE MINIMUM’
• ‘THE BEST ADVICE IN THIS COMPANY IS TO
KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN AND YOUR MOUTH
SHUT’
• ‘WHAT WE ARE BEST AT IS BUCK-PASSING’
 COMPETENCES AN
EFFECTIVE MANAGER

• PEOPLE SKILLS: THE ABLITY TO

LISTEN, SHOW UNDERSTANDING , BE
COURTEOUS, GIVE TIME, ENCOURAGE,
SUPPORT AND GIVE RECOGNITION TO
THE PEOPLE THEY MANAGE.
 COMPETENCES AN
EFFECTIVE MANAGER

• PASSION: THE ABLITY TO

ENTHUSE, EXCITE, AND PRESENT
A VISION THAT WILL MOTIVATE.
CREATE THE CUSTOMER’S
EXPERIENCE

• GOOD SERVICE IS NOT JUST

SMILING AT YOUR CUSTOMER
BUT GETTING YOUR CUSTOMER
TO SMILE AT YOU
 THREE POSSIBLE
OUTCOMES OF MOMENTS
OF TRUTHS

• THE CUSTOMER WILL GET LESS

THAN S/HE EXPECTS AND BE
DISAPPOINTED OR ANGRY(i.e THE
SERVICE IS MEMORABLE BECAUSE
IT’S AWFUL!)
 THREE POSSIBLE
OUTCOMES OF MOMENTS
OF TRUTHS

• THE CUSTOMER WILL GET

EXACTLY WHAT S/HE EXPECTS
AND THEREFORE IT IS NO BIG
DEAL(i.e FORGETTABLE BECAUSE
IT’S NEUTRAL!)
 THREE POSSIBLE
OUTCOMES OF MOMENTS
OF TRUTHS

• THE CUSTOMER GETS SERVICE OF

A HIGHER QUALITY THAT S/HE
EXPECTS AND IS DELIGHTED(i.e
MEMORABLE BECAUSE IT’S
MAGIC!)
THE FIRST ‘P’ – PEOPLE
SKILLS
• MAKING PEOPLE FEEL SPECIAL

• MANAGING THE FIRST 4 AND LAST 2 MINUTES

• DEMONSTRATING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

• COMMUNICATING CLEAR MESSAGES

• SHOWING HIGH ENERGY

• WORKING WELL UNDER PRESSURE

FIRST 4 AND LAST 2
MINUTES
• HOW DID YOU SPEND YOUR FIRST 4
MINUTES WITH THE FIRST PERSON YOU
ENCOUNTERED THIS MORNING? WAS
THAT A GOOD START?

• HOW DID YOU SPEND YOUR FIRST 4

MINUTES WITH THE FIRST PERSON YOU
MET AT WORK THIS MORNING?
 AN OK ATTITUDE
I’m OK

1 4
You’re not
You’re OK
OK

2 3

I’m not OK
QUADRANI 1 = WIN/LOSE

QUADRANT 2 = LOSE/LOSE

QUADRANT 3 = LOSE/WIN

QUADRANT 4 = WIN/WIN
 COMMUNICATING
CLEAR MESSAGES
• PEOPLE CANNOT READ OUR MINDS

• THEY PICK UP MESSAGES FROM OUR BEHAVIOUR

• WE ARE ALWAYS COMMUNICATING

• UP TO 90% OF WHAT WE COMMUNICATE WILL NOT BE IN

WORDS

• WE DO NOT ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WHAT WE INTEND

SHOWING HIGH ENERGY
• MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL.
• HAVE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TO
THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.
• COMMUNICATE CLEARLY AND NON-
JUDGEMENTALLY.
• DEMONSTRATE HIGH ENERGY, LOOK AS IF
THEY ARE GLAD TO BE ALIVE, BEHAVE AS
IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER, AND
MOVE AS IF THEY HAVE A PURPOSE.
 THE THIRD ‘P’ -
PRESENTATION
• THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
INTO WHICH THE CUSTOMER
COMES: HOW DOES THIS LOOK,
SOUND, SMELL, FEEL, AND WHAT
ARE THE MESSAGES IT CARRIES
ABOUT THE COMPANY’S
ATTITUDE TO THE CUSTOMER?
 THE THIRD ‘P’ -
PRESENTATION
• THE APPEARANCE OF THE STAFF THE
CUSTOMER MEETS;
• THE QUALITY OF BROCHURES, Ads
AND MARKETING MATERIALS;
• THE TONE AND LAY-OUT OF
CORRESPONDANCE;
• THE CONDITION AND APPEARANCE OF
COMPANY TRANSPORT.
 WHAT IS QUALITY
SERVICE?

‘EXCELLENT SERVICE IS NOT ABOUT BEING

1000% BETTER AT ONE THING BUT 1%

BETTER

AT A THOUSAND THINGS’
 QUALITY SERVICE AT
AGU

IN THE RACE FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE

THERE IS NO FINISH LINE……….

ALL THE BEST

Prof .Chris Abraham